NEVER, EVER.....

..go to Borders for a HUGE book release party! In theory their plan was great, but in reality, there were SO MANY PEOPLE there that it just didn't work effectively. Go to Walmart instead!

I arrived at 7:30 pm, as instructed by one of the employees to receive my colored armband so that I could stand in line to get my book. Unfortunately, they started earlier than I was told, so I ended up in the third colored band group (Blue). Each group of bands also had letters A-E in them with about 50 people in each of those groups...you get the picture.....

In any case, there were a couple hundred people in the story (keep in mind, I HATE crowds), so I tried to pick my way through people as much as possible and find an unoccupied spot. (Ha!Ha!) Instead, I found face painting over by the kids' section of the store, so I decided to get my face painted. (I had a lady take video, but I haven't uploaded it yet, so you'll have to settle for a picture instead.)



I was really excited that I didn't smear my spider the whole night!

I also decided to stalk some of the various costumed characters.....

Check out this Snape! He was the coolest looking person there. He wasn't too thrilled about the picture thing, but humored me anyways....


Dumbledore was next. I think he was actually supposed to be a magician, but found it easier to just walk around and get his picture taken with people.


I also found a Mad-Eye Moody...how cool was that?



I tried to find a perfect Harry, but when I found the kid, his parents wouldn't let me take his picture--which is understandable, but a bummer....Thankfully I found a perfect Hermione...




I found a Luna Lovegood, but she disappeared before I could grab her for a picture and I never saw her again. :(

I did catch this one kid (I think he was supposed to be Harry Potter because of the "scar" on his forehead, but he looked more like Cedric Diggory to me). He was checking out one of my students, so I made him get his picture taken with her. (Hee!Hee!)



I saw many of my students there--some of which hung out with me for a bit while we were waiting for our colors/letters to be called, but several of them left for Walmart to get their books and actually made it back BEFORE we managed to get ours! They also got really cool bracelets with the different houses on them, which is how they gave out the books. (I should have gone there instead.)

In any case, after a gazillion hours in a thickening crowd, they finally had the drawing for the person to purchase the first book at 11:45 pm. It wasn't me.

Needless to say, with a poor speaker system and thousands (I swear!) of people in the store, no one could hear anything. My student Thomas and I finally figured out that you had to go to the back of the store to get the books and then stand on the tape lines throughout the store to pay for your book, so we headed towards the back.

They called the Oranges, the Silvers, and finally the Blues....I think I was handed my book at 12:45 am. Then I proceeded to head towards the register in the middle of the store--that was NOT open, so I had to try and find the end of the line for the registers up front. When I finally found the end--which just happened to be by where I picked up my book, my students came back from Walmart and told us that the middle register was FINALLY open.

Thomas and I darted between the mass of people and made it to the register before too many people noticed what we were doing. We actually made it out of the store by 1am, I was home, showered, and reading by 1:30 am! (I bet my neighbors loved that!)

After about 2 hours of reading, I realized that I was only 100 and some pages in, I decided that I should probably try to get some sleep so that I could read a little faster when I woke up. After all, there were already several deaths AND a wedding, so things were happening at a fast pace....BTW, did I tell you the book is 756 pages?

SO any case, I crawled in bed at 3:30 am and was asleep by 4am. Some IDIOT called me at 8:30 am, so I was up, took a shower, made a few calls, ate, and was reading again by 11am. I took breaks every so often, but finally finished about 1 am this morning!



SPOILER ALERT!!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!SPOILER ALERT!!!!!!!

If you haven't read it--then don't read any further because I'll be giving the story away!


Don't say I didn't warn you.....


Hee!Hee! I was right--on ALL accounts!


Snape IS a good guy--although I started to have my doubts since he kept leaking word to Voldemort about Harry's movements. Thankfully he redeemed himself--can you believe it--He was in love with Harry's mom?! Wow! What a grudge/burden to carry.

Ron and Hermione did get together--although it took long enough. I'm glad she didn't have to beat him over the head, but it did taker a war for him to act on his feelings...geesh...is that what I have to do to have a guy express his feelings for me...declare war on Voldemort?

Harry did have to die in order for Voldemort to be killed, but it was his self-sacrifice that allowed him to return and defeat Voldemort--FINALLY!

I have to say, the last bit in the book about his scar not hurting for the past nineteen years does give Rowling a way to redeem the series if she finds herself needing more money or something. Hopefully she won't, but she did give herself an in...just in case.

I have to say, all is right with the world again. Voldemort is defeated and good reigns supreme again. My only other question is--who is the new Headmaster at Hogwarts? Snape is dead, Neville is a teacher, and Hagrid is still there, but since the rest of the group are now doting parents--who took over? Maybe McGonagall? She would be a good choice....hmmm...maybe I'll have to track down Rowlings' address and ask. What's the worst she can say....?


In any case, I was really impressed with the book. I was concerned that there wasn't going to be closure, because Rowling is notorious for leaving us hanging for 2 + years or so, but she THANKFULLY didn't do that this time!

If you're interested in reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, click on the button below to order it. :)